Kari Christensen
Kari Margrethe Christensen (1938 to 1997), also known as Kari Kroese, was a Norwegian ceramic artist from Kristiansand. Her career encompassed factory design in Denmark, her own workshop in Oslo and independent ceramic work for public spaces. Nationality must be distinguished from manufacturing location: a Danish factory object after her design does not thereby become Norwegian-made.
From factory production to her own workshop
Christensen trained at the National College of Art and Design from 1957 to 1961 and later attended sculpture classes in Copenhagen. In 1966 she established her own workshop in Oslo. Her development encompasses both design for a manufacturer and investigations of clay and glaze in her own practice.
She was among the Norwegian contributors to Tenera under Nils Thorsson's direction at Aluminia and Den kongelige Porcelainsfabrik. Thorsson's professional biography describes participants initially decorating his models and later also developing new forms. Form, decoration and factory therefore require precise credit. Christensen should not be credited with the entire Tenera series or every object within it.
Bowls in stoneware and porcelain
A Skål in the National Museum, dated 1975 to 1977, is wheel-thrown, glazed stoneware with hand-painted decoration. Entry NMK.2013.0201 demonstrates that her ceramics were not confined to porcelain. The date and technique apply to this particular object, rather than every bowl sharing the same generic title.
Another Skål, OK-1997-0123 of 1975, is modelled and glazed porcelain with relief decoration. It is 4.4 cm high, with a mouth diameter of 15.3 cm. Distinguishing throwing, modelling, painted decoration and relief is essential to understanding how form and surface were constructed.
In Skall of 1979, the material is modelled porcelain with incised decoration and coloured pigment. The museum lists a height of 10.5 cm, diameter of 16.3 cm and depth of 11.3 cm. This treatment of porcelain differs from repeated factory models. The artist's name does not justify transferring a factory's model number or manufacturing method to her independent ceramics.
From vessel to sculptural object
Skremt fugl of 1981 is recorded as unglazed porcelain, folded, creased and torn, in a wooden box. Its height is 40.4 cm. Here the treatment of the porcelain itself forms part of the figure. “Torn” in the museum description refers to execution; it does not mean every crack in another work is intentional.
Kailas m. bergkrystall of 1988 is modelled stoneware with incised and hand-painted decoration and crystal, 37.5 × 21 × 21 cm. It documents a later work combining ceramic form with another material. The object must not be reduced to “porcelain” simply because porcelain occupies an important place elsewhere in Christensen's work.
Kilden and ceramics in architecture
The public work Kilden at Oslo Police Headquarters dates from 1982. Norwegian Crafts describes an integrated work comprising modelled and fired porcelain, slate, marble gravel and water. It shows how ceramic surfaces can enter a large architectural space in conjunction with running water. KORO's own record confirms artist and date.
Marks, execution and ownership history
For factory objects, record the base mark, decoration and shape numbers, manufacturer and possible execution marks separately. An artist's initials do not necessarily identify the person who painted or formed that particular object. Design and production dates may differ. Workshop pieces likewise require specific documentation; a title or similar signature alone does not authenticate a work.
Check edges, glaze, chips, cracks, adhesive repairs and retouching. On thin or worked porcelain forms, intentional structure must be distinguished from subsequent damage. Preserve labels, earlier receipts and ownership records. Photographs of the underside, complete form and surface are useful alongside dimensions and provenance.
Read more about ceramics, artist signatures, provenance and ownership history, Royal Copenhagen.
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Contact OBA about selling and assessment (Norwegian page).
Sources and further reading
- Store norske leksikon: Kari Christensen
- Nasjonalmuseet: Kari Margrethe Christensen
- Norwegian Crafts: Kari Christensen
- Store norske leksikon: Royal Copenhagen
- Store norske leksikon: Nils Thorsson
- Nasjonalmuseet: Skål, stengods
- Nasjonalmuseet: Skål, porselen
- Nasjonalmuseet: Skall
- Nasjonalmuseet: Skremt fugl
- Nasjonalmuseet: Kailas
- KORO: Kilden
- Norwegian Crafts: Kilden i offentlige rom
